Mors Per Mare (ATEEZ FF)

Prologue

2:00.

You could hear the distant chime of the hourly bell. The cry echoed itself and went silent. It was one of the only sounds on campus at this time of night. You sat at one of the tables on the top floor of the library, staying there so late was such a common theme that the librarian had begun to leave the key with you. You smiled, glancing at the shiny object now sitting beside your laptop and the four books open on the table, remembering the times when the old woman had to literally kick you out.

Shaking your head to concentrate on the task at hand, you leaned forward to read the text of the book again.

"Revertere." You read aloud.

"Go back." You mumbled, typing it into the document on your computer.

You looked over at the book once more. Out of the multiple languages that you spoke, Latin was your favorite to learn about, probably because you'd always loved old books. And anything written in Latin was most definitely old. Glancing beside you at the book you were reading from, you smiled. It's pages were that strange yellow tan color and to simply be near it was enough to smell its age. To you, nothing could beat the scent of old books.

You grinned, pulling the tome closer to you. It was almost too easy for you now.

Revertere ut quod perierat cantare canticum.

"Go back to sing the song of lost." You grinned.

Et revertetur hymnum sed ad id pretium?

"Return the hymn but at what cost?" You frowned then as the library almost seemed to quiet around you. Even the air conditioner seemed to silence itself. You took a quick glance around you, but nothing seemed amiss so you continued.

Si deficient ad hoc lugebit sua ibi,

"If you fail to mourn her there,"

Deus autem erit prohibere audire votum tuum

"God will cease to hear your prayer." You paused for a moment, the hair on the back of your neck raising with alarm. You lifted the cover to make sure this was indeed the scholar's tome you thought you'd picked. Seeing that it was, you set it down and continued your translation.

Sunt autem verba de in pythonissam in albis,

"These are the words of the witch in white,"

Bene audire et tu vivent

"Listen well and you shall live."

Si non potes facere ius,

"But if you cannot make it right," curiosity propelled you forward.

Ergo Dabo tibi animam tuam

"Then it is your life you'll give." And then the book came alive. The words flew off the page and the sound of your voice came to your ears. You weren't reading, but you were.

Suddenly, there were voices everywhere. All whispering one word at varying times.

"Revertere!" And there was no pause between them."Revertere!"

Even through their words, you could hear the campus clock bell beginning to chime. One, Two, Three. But the third was interrupted by a bright flash of light.

And then you were lost in the dark and quiet.